Queensland irrigation farmers will now have control of the installation of water meters on their properties under changes announced by the State Government.

 

State Minister for Natural Resources Andrew Cripps said the changes would support water users in ‘metered entitlement’ areas that extracted water directly from a bore or watercourse, rather than relying on a water supply from large catchments and dams.

 

Under previous arrangements, the Government purchased meters and arranged for contractors to install them and then bill the water users for equipment and work.

 

“While we support measures to ensure that no-one takes more water than they are entitled to, agricultural groups indicated that this old process was frustrating and cumbersome,” Mr Cripps said.

 

“These changes will lead to a reduction in meter reading charges of up to $100 per year for areas where the Department had already arranged the installation of meters.  

 

“Many irrigators were unhappy with the meters chosen for them and believed the overall cost was higher than it needed to be,” he said.